Page 84 of Castor
A large shadow passed overhead. Alastair and the one he’d called Ramiel clashed in the air, both holding swords that looked like fire in the sunlight. Bellamy and another fallen angel fought not far from them, swinging at each other. Bellamy was then sliced across the chest. The golden-haired warrior kept fighting but moved a bit more sluggishly now.
The brothers were stronger than any other Nephilim, but angels—fallen or not—matched them in strength.
“Bell!” Raiden said, lifting into the air. As he flew to help, I caught hints of orange shimmering in some of the feathers in his black wings.
Looking around me, we were holding our own for now. Sirena’s clan moved swiftly along the beach, cutting down demons. Baxter fought back-to-back with Naida. The other member of his group, Kian, was nowhere to be found. Neither was Titan. Then again, it was hard to see much through the blur of bodies locked in combat.
It was absolute chaos.
I sent a wave to knock down six demons rushing toward Baxter. Three were yanked out to sea when it retreated, and Naida managed to kill the others before they regained their footing. She nodded to me in thanks before rushing out of sight.
“Shit,” I said as my knees gave out. I had used too much energy.
“Kyo!”
Was that Castor’s voice? It was hard to hear over the noise of clashing blades and battle cries. Movement stirred in the water behind me, and as I turned, a demon with gray skin and grisly teeth raised a war hammer, his large body blocking the sun.
And then his head went flying. Dark blood shot from his neck as his body fell backward into the sea.
Arms came around me. “I’ve got you.”
Though his familiar scent of honey and spice was now mingled with blood and sweat, my soul recognized him and instantly soothed. I released a shaky breath, relieved he was with me. Castor held my face between his hands and pressed a light kiss to my lips. It didn’t last nearly long enough.
Castor helped me stand from the water. “Alastair contacted Lazarus. Hopefully he shows.”
“Do you think he will?” I asked.
“Don’t know. Lazarus does everything on his terms. Fuck, he might just leave us here to die.”
“Let’s hope not.”
We were forced to break apart when more demons attacked. They seemed to be never-ending. Blood stained the sand and clouded in the blue water as bodies piled on the beach, demons and Nephilim alike. The revolting stench of death perforated the air as more bodies were added to the count.
“Poor bastard,” Castor said, his gaze on the ground.
Kian lay in the sand, both of his eyes gouged out. It looked like daggers had been shoved into each socket.
The battle continued. What little strength I had waned more and more with each swinging of my sword.
Suddenly, a crack of thunder pierced the air, reminiscent of a whip, even though there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The angel fighting Bellamy and Raiden fell to the beach, the ends of his black wings beginning to fall away, the feathers drifting to the sand. A silver dagger was embedded in his heart.
“That’s what happens when an angel dies,” Castor said, wiping sweat from his brow. He swayed a bit from exhaustion, and I let him lean on me. “The sound of thunder was his soul exiting his body.”
The fallen angel’s death caused the remaining angels to go into a fury. Alastair was knocked to the sand, blood drenching his chest. Right when he stood back up, he was struck again. Alastair blocked the hit with his sword, but his strength was deteriorating.
Castor rushed forward to help, and I followed close behind him, deflecting hits that came from the sides.
Phoenix appeared in our path, no blood or sweat on him. Like most evil bosses from video games and movies, he had stayed out of the conflict and let his army do the fighting for him.
“You can end this, Castor,” he said. “No one else needs to die.”
Without stopping his advance, Castor sliced at him with his dagger.
Phoenix jumped out of the way, but it caught the front of his shirt. “Listen to me, goddammit! You are losing this fight. Look at you. You can hardly even stand right now. All of you are moments from collapsing. Lay down your weapons.”
“And then what?” Castor lunged at him again. “You’ll take us to your king and make us bend the knee? Swear ourselves to him?” He thrust his dagger forward, and Phoenix blinked out of sight before reappearing on the other side of him, several feet away. “My brothers and I protect humanity! Why would we ever join forces with someone who wishes to see it destroyed?”
“I tried to help you,” Phoenix said with a sad shake of his head. “I truly did. But you’re right. You and your fellow warriors will never see reason. There’s no point in dragging this out any longer.”
